Commission welcomes Council recommendation on New European Bauhaus

The European Commission welcomes yesterday's Council's Recommendation on the New European Bauhaus (NEB), a major step in advancing the initiative's implementation across Europe. The NEB initiative supports the transformation of European neighbourhoods and the built environment into spaces that are not only sustainable but also inclusive, affordable, and improve people's quality of life. 

The Recommendation builds on the Commission's communication New European Bauhaus: From vision to implementation, adopted in December 2025 as part of the European Housing Package. This communication set out the key actions to scale up the NEB initiative and strengthen its role as an enabler of the clean transition, innovation, and sustainable growth in Europe and beyond. 

The Recommendation now reinforces the role of Member States in delivering the NEB. By embedding the NEB values and principles into their policies and funding instruments linked to neighbourhoods and the wider built environment, Member States can accelerate the clean transition, innovation, and circularity of construction. They can do this, for instance, via inclusive and participatory processes for fair urban planning, or by exploring the housing potential of vacant and underused buildings for sustainable urban development in rural neighbourhoods. 

The Recommendation invites Member States to take coordinated action to improve the sustainability of buildings, promote climate-resilient spatial planning, and also support homes and neighbourhoods which are more energy-efficient, resilient, inclusive and rooted in local communities. It also aims to facilitate access to public and private funding and investment; strengthen participation and local democracy; and boost skills, knowledge and innovation through the NEB Academy. Finally, it calls for stronger awareness, engagement, and governance to scale up the NEB initiative and maximise its impact. 

The NEB is moving from vision to implementation – supporting tangible change on the ground and contributing to better living environments for people across Europe.  

(For more information: Anna-Kaisa Itkonen – Tel.: +32 2 295 75 01; Maëlys Dreux – Tel.: +32 2 295 46 73)